Marcey's Lame Story
by epiphanylens
Summary: Remember that childhood friend you used to have so many years ago? Now look at them, see how much they have changed, how much you never realized they were growing up. Everything changes at that moment when you see them for the first time in however many years, bringing up a whole new feeling you've never felt before. You might even find the chance to fall in love with them...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of my Awful Story:

"Ugh, hang on you stupid ancient thing!" I yelled, annoyed at the phone waking me up at three in the afternoon, right in the middle of my sleeping period, "This better be important or I'll drain all the red from your house.."

"Marcelline! You have to get to the Candy Kingdom right now!" PB's voice rang through the phone with a little too much enthusiasm.

I grumbled, wiping away the crust in the corner of my eyes, "What? Why? You know I can't be out in the sun you dweeb."

She sighed, "Marcelline, for once, get out of your shell and come to the Candy Kingdom. I'm not going to argue with you about this."

"Oh, ho, ho, so now you're my mother, are you?" I chuckled at her, "I'm going back to sleep. Goodbye PB."

"Finn is back, Marcelline."

I froze, clutching the phone tightly in my hand as I heard the words just as I was about to hang up, "What...?"

I could tell she was smiling on the other end of the phone, "Finn is back, Marcey. So come on and get down here already."

I smiled, dropping the phone on its hook, not saying a single word in return. Without even thinking, I slipped my, ever trusty, red cowgirl boots on, grabbed my black umbrella, and headed out the door with my purple pj's still on. I didn't have time to stop and change.

It had literally been years since Finn had been in the land of Ooo. After Jake died in their last battle against the Lich, finally sending him back to the depths for good, Finn set out to have an adventure of his own. We could all tell it was really hard on him being alone after living with Jake for so long..I mean, it was hard on all of us, but Finn and Jake were literally brothers. We all knew that he was adopted, even they knew, but nothing could ever break the bond they shared.

I'd have to say Finn was about fifteen when he left. It worried PB the most because he was so young, but that's typical of her. She's always tried to be a motherly figure for him in the slightest ways. So, after about ten minutes of hugs and adieu's, he set off in the direction of the sun as it set, a flashlight in hand, ready to tackle the world with his little green backpack and his father's sword. I think it was the first time I ever saw PB cry.

No one ever knew where he went, but wherever it was, he stayed there for ten years. At first, we thought we might be a little lost without our tiny hero, knowing he did most of the deed-doing in Ooo, but his memory soon started to fade after a year or so passed. No one mentioned his name or thought of how much he might be missing Jake. We all just accepted the fact that he was gone, and might not be coming back.

I took a deep breath, hovering above the bright green grass just outside of the kingdom walls, my black umbrella reflecting the light away from my pale, gray skin, which would easily burn if touched by the sun's rays. I couldn't understand why I was so nervous. Maybe it was because I was afraid he might not be the same person? Maybe I had just grown accustomed to a life without that little booger, that is, if he was still that small.

I spotted PB walking cooly down the road to the gates of the kingdom as I finally ended the banter with my thoughts, "Hey, what's with you? Usually you'd have jumped the gate by now."

I shrugged, "I don't know, maybe I'm just tired from someone waking me up in the middle of my sleep." I shot her a look of boredom.

My look soon changed into confusion as she started to chuckle, "Oh, come on, I know you're just nervous. I know you and Finn were tight."

I rolled my eyes, "He was like, fifteen the last time I saw him. It was just, literally, child's play with him."

She put her hands on her hips, "Whatever you wanna call it to make yourself seem cool, but you need to get in here. It's jammin' in the candy castle right now." She gave me a wide smile and did a stupid little dance.

I sighed, floating over the gate with ease, swooshing right by her and down the path to the castle. The closer I got, the more I could feel myself beginning to tremble with excitement. I really didn't want to admit it, and really had no idea I would be to this extent, but I was really excited to see Finn. Aside from what I told PB, Finn was one of my best buds, and I missed him.

Just as I was about to morph through the door, there was a loud bang, and I was thrown backwards, having to hang on to my umbrella for dear life, "What the..?!" I coughed as dirt flew everywhere, getting in my wind pipe as I breathed heavily, "Who the junk thinks they can just-!"

I stopped, spotting a figure on the ground in front of me, laughing and scratching their head. I blinked my eyes a few times as the dust started to clear, a feeling of shock passing through my body, "F-Finn..?"

The laughing stopped as he turned to look me in the face, just feet away from me. In front of me was, not the little boy I remembered, but a man I'd never seen before. Instead of wearing a cap on his head to hide his messy hair, he proudly showed off his golden locks, cut short in a messy style. He was slender, but now had muscle built up from the years of training and fighting, making him the perfect build for his age, which was probably about 25 now.

His bright blue eyes filled with surprise as he saw me sitting across from him, a stupid look of bewilderment still on my face, "Marcelline!? Is that you!?"

In the blink of an eye, I threw myself on him in a hug, flinging my umbrella to the ground, not caring at all if I got burned. It was worth it just to hug him, knowing my old buddy was finally back, "I missed you bro!"

His movements seemed frantic as he pulled me off of him, eager to get my umbrella back, "Hey, hey, hey, you don't need to be out in the sun. Here." He smiled, taking me by the hand and pulling me up next to him as he held the umbrella over my head. For some reason, looking at him as he held my hand made my heart beat fast.

Thank you crossed my mind, but it just came out as, "Stupid, you don't have to worry about me like that."

He laughed at me, "Well, you're still the same, nice pajamas by the way."

I stuck my tongue out at him and hissed. Looking at him now, he was so grown up, and tall too. When he left, he couldn't have been more than 5'5", but, now, he had to at least be six feet tall. He walked with such confidence in his stride, just like the day he decided to leave us here in Ooo. It just made me realize how much he really had grown over the years.

"Sorry about that knock down, by the way, Mr. Cupcake wanted to test his muscles against mine, and, you know me, I never turn down a good fight." He grinned, showing a set of pearly whites, which used to include a set of slight buck teeth with a small space in between, but were now perfectly straight.

I punched him in the arm, "It's whatever, bro, not like I haven't done stuff to you like that in the past." I laughed a little, remembering the night I got him in to trouble with the wolves.

As we approached the place where the door used to be, Peppermint Butler was there to greet us, a little tray of drinks on top of his open hand, "Let's try not to break anymore of the castle doors down, hmm?"

Finn bent down to pat Peppermint Butler on the head, "Alright man, I promise."

As I watched him re-enter the party, I just couldn't stop thinking about how weirdly normal it was to have him here again. It was almost like nothing changed, but there he was, a fully grown man, standing in the middle of the room like everyone's hero...

I flinched as I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning to see PB smiling at me, "Amazing, right? He's gone for ten years, but when he gets back, the whole town sees it as if he was never gone."

I nodded, "Yeah. It's just so weird. I almost feel the same way, but I mean, look at him. He's fully grown now, he's broken out of his awkward little stage and he's a man now." I laughed for a moment, "I still remember him as that awkward little pre-teen with a desperate crush on the princess. Oh, and you can't forget the time he thought he was in love with Flame Princess."

PB was silent for a moment, "Actually, he really was in love with her, Marcelline."

I gave her a weird look, "I thought you always said it was just a petty crush? I mean, they barely ever smooched, let alone hugged. Her flame was always too hot for him to handle in the first place."

She shrugged, "Well, all I know is that she was the reason he left."

I froze for a moment, "What? I thought he left because Jake died?"

She shook her head, "Before Finn left, he talked to me for a very long time. Of course, one of the reasons was because of Jake, but he knew he had to grow up and move on from that. Jake was getting old, anyway, and his time was almost up before the Lich killed him," she sighed, "You know how the Flame Kingdom mysteriously disappeared after Flame Princess broke it off with Finn?"

I nodded, questioning her with my eyes.

"Well, that's because it moved. Finn came to me to get help figuring out where it could have moved to. He thought that maybe if he could find the Flame Kingdom on a long, painful journey, that maybe she would take him back. He thought she would see how dedicated he was to her and would fall head over heels in love with him."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, like that really ever happens like people want it to."

She folded her arms, "Well..the last thing Finn told me was that if he was not back within a year's time..then it meant that Flame Princess took him back, and he was going to stay there with her."

My heart suddenly sank to my stomach as I heard her words. I gulped, weirded out my my own feelings. I'd never felt like this before, and it was freaking the bacon sizzle out of me.

I shook my head, trying to focus, "So, wait, does that mean...?"

PB nodded, "Yup. Pretty sure. I mean, he hasn't talked about his trip since he got here..but that's what I'm guessing."

I cocked my head to the side, "Why do you think he won't talk about it?"

"I never said he refused to, I just said he hasn't." She looked over to him as he danced around with the candy people, just like old times, "Maybe he just needs to talk to the right person about it."

With that, she walked away from me and over to Finn, giving him a hug and whispering something in his ear. She was always annoyingly sneaky like that. I knew she was trying to tell me something, I just didn't know what. Who knew, that girl was crazy anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

I sat quietly on my bed with my axe bass strapped around my neck. For hours, it seemed, I had been staring aimlessly at the wall, racking my brain of these stupid feelings I had been getting ever since I saw Finn sitting in the dirt, laughing and carrying on like he was right at home.

I grunted, strumming angrily at my guitar, floating into the air, trying to let the feelings escape through music, "Oh I can see that you're so different now, a boy has grown so tall and strong, a man I see but the boy remains he's there inside, he's haunting my miiiiiiiiiiiind... Those eyes so pale just like my soul, they pierce my mind, they steal my kind awaaaaaaaay from realityyyyy..."

I swung my head around as there was a knock on my door. I drooped my arms, thinking it must be PB there to bother me about Finn again. Yeah, like I needed that right now. I was confused enough as it was.

"PB, if that's you, I'm gunna go banaynay on you, I swear." I groaned in a tired voice. All the thinking had kept me from sleeping, and it was almost nightfall.

"Actually, it's me, Finn."

My grip tightened around my bass axe as I floated quickly to the ground, "Uh, okay, be there in a sec, man."

Shaking once more, just like earlier in the Candy Kingdom, I flung my axe bass on my bed, and took a deep breath, walking slowly towards the door.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked with a small smile on my face as I opened the door to see him brimming at me.

"You left the party early. Thought maybe you just needed to get away from the crowd. I know how you don't like to be in people's biz like that."

I shrugged, "Eh, PB woke me up in the middle of my sleep, so I was kinda cranky."

He gave me a look of apology, "Oh.. well, I can leave..?"

My heart thumped at his innocence, "Uh..nah..It's okay. It's almost nightfall anyway. You can stick around..if you want?"

A wide smile spread across his face, "Sure, but as long as we can do whatever I want."

I backed up a little, "Uh..Finn..what are you..-"

He gave out a laugh, "You are one filthy gutter, you know that Marcey?"

I stood, unable to speak from my confusion, "Wha..?"

He nudged my arm, "C'mon, I wanna do something we haven't done in more than ten years."

"And what would that be, if I may ask?" I folded my arms and squinted him a look of question.

Suddenly, he pulled over his old, worn, green backpack, opened it, and pulled out a giant piece of t-bone steak.

My eyes widened as a smile creeped on to my face, "No...you don't mean..Haha!"

He nodded with a smirk on his face, "We're going to run with the wolves tonight."

I jumped in the air to levitate just above his height, "Yes! You are so awesome, dude! We gotta go now! We won't catch them if we don't!"

Swooping past him and out the door, he ran next to me, just like the old days. The wolves howled loudly in the distance, smelling the meat from afar.

"Sounds like they'll be here soon!" He yelled to me as I swerved through the air, letting the cool night air run through my long black hair. It had been a while since I got to go out and have fun..Now that I thought about it.. I always had my fun times with Finn and Jake..I never really remembered doing anything like this with anyone else. Sure, PB and I became good friends over the past years, but she was always busy doing pricessy things, and staying clean, and watching over her subjects, and doing math...Thinking about it all now..Finn was really my only true friend..he was my best friend...

I jerked forward, hearing the wolves just ahead of us, "Haha, come on little puppies!"

The barked and growled, chasing after Finn, who was dangling the meat in his fingers. Laughing, I swooped down and snatched the t-bone from his hand and racing forward in front of the pack. Jumping and swiping, they tried their best to get the tasty treat from me. Finally, I raised my arm up and threw the chunk of meat as hard as I could into the forest, watching them race after their meal as if it were a gourmet feast.

"They must be tired of eating rabbits for dinner." I laughed a little, "They seemed way to enthusiastic about that steak."

Finn tried to catch his breath as I floated down next to him, "Must be because of how long its been. We used to do this almost every week, remember?"

I looked around, nodding slowly, noticing we were on top of a small hill, giving us a cute little view of the grasslands of Ooo, "Hey...isn't your old treehouse around here...?"

Turning to Finn, I noticed his face drop a little. I couldn't blame him for feeling a little gray. After all, it was the place he and Jake lived for all those years, cooking up adventures with Beemo.

I scratched my head, dropping down to the top of the hill to take a seat at the base of Finn's feet, "Did you miss it?"

He looked at me, confused, "Huh?"

I sighed, "Did you miss this? Living here in Ooo?"

He was silent for a moment, thinking for a long time. Finally, he sat himself next to me on the hill, leaning back on his palms to stare at the sky, "It's really hard to say. I knew that I needed to be on my own, but there was still a part of me that was left behind here in Ooo. I was raised here, you know? This was the place all my memories were made, where all my friends were, but then again, it was where my worst nightmares lied." He paused for a moment, "After Jake died..I was just so lost. He was kind of like my mentor, you know? He was my brother, but at the same time he just knew how to get in my mind and help me get in tact with my feelings. Jake may have seemed like one crazy dude, but on the inside he just knew how to handle everything. Knowing that, I was just so scared that I would lose myself if I stayed in Ooo for the rest of my life. I was scared that I would drift away from everyone else because I didn't have that person to guide me."

"So you left to make sure that wouldn't happen."

He nodded, sighing shortly as he turned his head to look at me, "I didn't want to live a life that wasn't meant for me. I needed to find out who I really was, and my leaving did that for me. I'm much stronger now, and I know exactly who I am. I'm not that lost little boy anymore who was constantly looking for a battle or a fight. I just go with the flow. I let life happen and I'm content with whatever it brings me."

I smiled at him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Finn, I'm really happy for you, man.."

He stared at me for a moment as we sat in the grass together, "I really did miss this place, though. I missed the people, the way they made me feel about myself." He paused, "I think I might have missed you the most, Marcey."

It felt like an ocean wave hit me in the chest as he said those words, staring straight at me like he knew exactly what he was saying. The way he was looking at me, so content with his life, it made me realize just how much he had changed. That party earlier had just been an act for him, putting on that old friendly face for everyone just as they remembered him. He didn't want to disappoint them, but at the same time I could tell he just didn't want that life anymore. He was done being a hero...

I brought my eyebrows together, frowning as my eyes met with the ground. I just felt so corrupted inside, unable to decide where these feelings were taking me. In a way, I felt so oblivious to the situation.

"What's wrong?" He leaned forward, concern in his voice.

I stayed silent, unsure of what I was going to say to him, racking my brain for anything, "I...I'm just all messed up inside right now. Nothing like this has ever happened for me, and I'm just all junked up."

He smiled at me, suddenly lighting up, "Well..I believe those would be feelings."

I squinted at him and hissed shortly, "Not funny."

Putting his arms up and placing his palms on his head, pushing down his blond hair, he sighed for a long moment, looking to the midnight sky once more, "I've known you long enough to tell when you're confused about what your feeling, Marcelline. I know that because of the way you were raised, you really don't know how to handle emotions like others, so it just kind of builds up inside and you don't know what to say..but that's okay..alright? Don't think that just because you don't know what to do makes you weird or different because I'm the same exact way..."

Suddenly, I stood, thinking on impulse, "That's not the problem, okay! I know how to deal with myself! It's you who I don't know how to deal with..."

He sat up, staring at me with confusion. I knew I'd said too much, but I wasn't sure if I knew exactly what I was talking about, "Marcey...?"

I clenched my fists and bore my fangs, "I don't need your sap story okay!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, shooting off into the night sky, trying to get away from him. I was so frustrated with myself, and I felt like everything was just falling apart piece by piece, now. I knew he was right, deep down, but I just didn't want to admit it because the truth really did scare me. I was scared to believe what I was actually feeling, so I pushed it away in the deepest corner of my mind and replaced it with a barrier of rage and selfishness..I wanted to talk to Finn..I could have talked with him for hours if my stupid brain would let me say the right things. I just needed to get away..talk to someone else, so I headed for the Candy Kingdom, somehow thinking PB could help me out.

Floating through the clouds, I realized, Finn wasn't the one who had changed..It was me who had changed, Finn just simply grew up.


	3. Chapter 3

I crashed in through PB's balcony window, bursting open the double doors and in to her room.

She shot up in her bed, flicking on the light, "What the heck! Marcelline, do you have any idea what time it is? Just because you are awake during the night doesn't mean you can just come in here whenever you want!"

I stared at her for a long moment, a blank expression on my face. In my head, I was running in circles, but on the outside I was emotionless, frozen by my own confusion.

PB's face dropped once she studied my expression, "Marcelline...?"

Suddenly, I began shaking my head, slowly at first, then faster, placing my hands over my eyes and scratching down my face with my fingernails, "What is this!? Why am I so messed up!?"

She climbed out of bed, slowly walking towards me, "Calm down Marcelline...Take a deep breath, okay...?"

My breathing was heavy and jagged, "I can't! I can't calm down because I don't know what I'm feeling!"

"Then tell me!" PB was face to face with me as she yelled loudly, filling the whole room with her voice, "For Glob's sake, you can't just throw a tantrum every time something doesn't go your way or you feel something you have no idea how to explain! You're acting like a human!"

I clenched my fists, baring my fangs at her, "You know, I came here thinking you could make me feel better, but I guess I was wrong. Little princess only cares about her beauty sleep."

She frowned at me as I stared at her with angry eyes, "There you go again, thinking everyone has to worry about you all the time!"

I backed up from her, "Me!? Really!? Who always whines about having to protect the kingdom, keep the peace, always having so much responsibility!?" I mocked her in a whiny voice that resembled a toddler's complaints.

She gave me a look of offense, "How dare you say I whine about those things! You know they are big responsibilities!"

I gestured, "See! There it is! 'Responsibilities'.

She bit her cheek, trying hard to hold her tongue, "You know what? I don't have time for this. I really thought you had grown up from these petty arguments. I really thought you could take care of yourself by now, but I guess I was wrong." She paused for a minute, thinking long and hard about what to say, "Marcelline, get over yourself and just realize that you are in love with Finn already."

I coiled back in shock, my eyes widening, "You-you think-! What!? You think I'm in love with Finn? Are you CRAZY?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm not, and I don't think, either, I know you are. Have you even seen yourself lately? Every time you are around him you get as red as a tomato and you act all weird and fidgety."

I was really at a loss of words. She had it all wrong! I wasn't in love with Finn! I couldn't be! Finn was, and is my bro! I just...I couldn't believe what she was even saying to me.

In a fury, I gave her a glare and spun around without another word, swooping out of her room and in to the night sky. My heart was pounding at the speed of light as I thought about what she said. It was Finn.. Finn! How could she say something like that!

Suddenly, just for a moment, I pictured myself in Finn's arms, holding my tightly, sheltering me from the bright sun. Even in my head he felt warm, unlike myself, who didn't even have blood pumping though my cold, beating heart. I shook my head hard, trying to get the image out of my head. No, it wasn't true, I couldn't let it be! After all...Finn was now with Flame Princess...PB said so herself that if he wasn't back within a years time.. he was staying with her..

I gave out a long sigh as I approached the icy mountains where Ice King ruled. Maybe talking to him could take my mind off the whole situation.. I needed to see how he was doing, anyway. He had gotten a great deal older over the past ten years, and with the effects of his crown, a little more insane, too..I felt bad for him because everyone hated him, but I was the only one who knew he couldn't help it...I just wish he would be the Simon I knew again..

"Ice King?" my voice echoed through the icy walls of his castle, "Ice King, you here?"

Suddenly, there was laughing from the next room, probably his bedroom. I flew in through the window, looking around at the mess he had made since I last cleaned up his home. His old age was beginning to make him lazy, and he just needed some help every once in a while.

I poked my head around the corner to see him sitting on his bed, staring at a book in his lap, "Ice King..?"

He gave out a little chuckle, "Oh, ho, ho, how charming.."

I cocked my head to the side, "Ice King are you okay?"

Suddenly, he spun around, facing me. His face looked worn and tired, riddled with wrinkles, "Oh! Marcelline! How good to see you!"

I floated over next to him, "Why are you still awake? Shouldn't you be sleeping by now?"

He laughed at me, "I only sleep when I want to dream."

I was silent for a moment, looking at the open book in his lap, "What's that?"

Quickly, he snatched it up, holding it tightly to his chest, "Shhh! No! I mustn't show you yet! It's not finished!"

I rolled my eyes, "Is that another one of your stupid fanfictions?"

He grunted, "It's not stupid.. and I'm just getting to the best part! It's a real plot twist!"

I put my hands on my hips, "Well then, let's hear some of it."

He giggled a little, "Oh, alright, only for you Marcey." He cleared his throat, beginning to read in a very monotone, choppy, emotionless voice, " Fionna sat in front of Marshall looking sad and weepy," He used a girly voice to represent "Fionna's" speaking parts, "

"'Oh, Marshall, I just do not know what to do! First, Gumball rejects me, then I lose Flame Prince! You are my only friend!'

Marshall turned away from Fionna like she was none of his biz, 'It's all I've ever been.'

Fionna's eyes were now teary and sad, 'Why are you always upset about this stuff? I don't understand you cause you are banaynay Marshall. You are always like flipping out on me.'"

I swallowed hard, listening to his story. It sounded...familiar...too familiar..., "Ice King..?"

He put the book down, "Whaaaat?"

I hesitated, "Where did you get the inspiration to write that?"

He gave me a creepy little smile, "I get all my stories from my dreams now a days, Marcey."

I froze, as he stared at me with the same menacing little smile on his face. I knew he was insane..but could it be that...no...it couldn't be.. Was his crown possibly giving him some kind of new power...?

Suddenly, his face grew cold, giving me a blank stare.

I floated a little closer to him, looking him in the face, "Ice King...? You alright, man?"

All of a sudden, it was like he was a completely different person, looking at me with warm and tender eyes, speaking to me as if he really cared about me, "Marcelline, I know you are a smart girl, and I know you can figure this one out. So, be smart. I'll see you later, okay?"

I drew back, "I-Ice King...?" For a moment..it seemed as if...it were Simon speaking to me...instead of Ice King...

He gave out a flinch, causing the book to fall on the floor, "Awh! Look what you did! You made me drop my story book! Gaaah!"

My heart dropped as Ice King's crazy tone of voice came back, covering up the warm, tender voice from just a moment ago, "I gotta go now, okay?"

He huffed, "Good. You've caused enough trouble around here young lady! You made me spoil my story by gettin in my biz!"

I sighed, turning around and floating out of the window. I stopped for a moment once I was just outside, looking back at him as he furiously wiped the pages of his book off, "Bye Simon..."


End file.
